Make it easier to hold schools , teachers, and parents accountable for bullying
The Issue
My child was bullied at school. Her experience was painful and isolating, and the school's response was sorely inadequate. The children responsible received just 20 minutes in reflection. Such minimal consequences send a dangerous message: that bullying is tolerated and the emotional damage it causes is trivial. This is not just about my child. It is about every child who suffers in silence while schools fail to enforce their anti-bullying policies.
In England and Wales, around four in ten children aged 10 to 15 experience some form of bullying behaviour in a year, according to the Office for National Statistics. Despite years of anti-bullying campaigns, the lack of real consequences for those who bully, and the lack of support for those being bullied, remain serious problems. Too often, schools focus on protecting their reputation rather than on pupils' safety and wellbeing. This must change.
We are calling on the UK Government and the Department for Education to make it easier to hold schools, and the parents of children who bully, accountable, including financially.
When a school ignores bullying or fails to deal with it properly:
• The school must respond in writing to the parent's complaint within a set time, explaining what action it has taken.
• If it does not act, the case should be reported to Ofsted and investigated.
• Parents should be able to sue the school through a simple, affordable process, without needing expensive lawyers.
• Schools found to have failed a child should face financial consequences, including paying compensation to the family.
When a child repeatedly bullies another child:
• The family of the bullied child should be able to sue the parents of the child who bullies.
• Those parents should face financial consequences, including paying compensation for the harm caused.
• They should be required to attend counselling to understand the impact of bullying and work with their child to change their behaviour.
Schools should also be required to provide regular training for staff and pupils on empathy, respect and the serious harm bullying causes. Every bullying incident, and the action taken, should be properly recorded so there is transparency and accountability.
The effects of bullying can last a lifetime, damaging mental health, school results and self-esteem. Schools should be safe places to learn, not places of fear. When schools and parents know there will be real financial consequences, they will take bullying seriously. By signing this petition, you are standing up for a future where bullying is treated with the seriousness it deserves. Please sign and share to help protect our children.
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The Issue
My child was bullied at school. Her experience was painful and isolating, and the school's response was sorely inadequate. The children responsible received just 20 minutes in reflection. Such minimal consequences send a dangerous message: that bullying is tolerated and the emotional damage it causes is trivial. This is not just about my child. It is about every child who suffers in silence while schools fail to enforce their anti-bullying policies.
In England and Wales, around four in ten children aged 10 to 15 experience some form of bullying behaviour in a year, according to the Office for National Statistics. Despite years of anti-bullying campaigns, the lack of real consequences for those who bully, and the lack of support for those being bullied, remain serious problems. Too often, schools focus on protecting their reputation rather than on pupils' safety and wellbeing. This must change.
We are calling on the UK Government and the Department for Education to make it easier to hold schools, and the parents of children who bully, accountable, including financially.
When a school ignores bullying or fails to deal with it properly:
• The school must respond in writing to the parent's complaint within a set time, explaining what action it has taken.
• If it does not act, the case should be reported to Ofsted and investigated.
• Parents should be able to sue the school through a simple, affordable process, without needing expensive lawyers.
• Schools found to have failed a child should face financial consequences, including paying compensation to the family.
When a child repeatedly bullies another child:
• The family of the bullied child should be able to sue the parents of the child who bullies.
• Those parents should face financial consequences, including paying compensation for the harm caused.
• They should be required to attend counselling to understand the impact of bullying and work with their child to change their behaviour.
Schools should also be required to provide regular training for staff and pupils on empathy, respect and the serious harm bullying causes. Every bullying incident, and the action taken, should be properly recorded so there is transparency and accountability.
The effects of bullying can last a lifetime, damaging mental health, school results and self-esteem. Schools should be safe places to learn, not places of fear. When schools and parents know there will be real financial consequences, they will take bullying seriously. By signing this petition, you are standing up for a future where bullying is treated with the seriousness it deserves. Please sign and share to help protect our children.
The Decision Makers
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Petition created on 3 November 2026